NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 28 August 2018 – Preparing for the Japanese Resupply Mission

September is scheduled to be a busy month for the Expedition 56 crew aboard the International Space Station.
Japan is preparing to launch its seventh resupply mission and three astronauts are gearing up for two spacewalks next month.

Today, a pair of astronauts familiarized themselves with the robotics maneuvers they will use when they capture Japan’s H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-7) on Sept. 14. The HTV-7, also called the Kounotori, will launch Sept. 10 from the Tanegashima Space Center loaded with crew supplies, new science hardware and critical spacewalk gear.

Commander Drew Feustel will be supported by Flight Engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor inside the Cupola as he controls the Canadarm2 to reach out and grapple the HTV-7. Robotics controllers on the ground will then take over and install Kounotori on the Harmony module’s Earth-facing port. NASA TV will broadcast live all of Kounotori’s launch, rendezvous and capture activities.

A pair of spacewalks will take place soon after the Kounotori arrives when robotics controllers begin removing new batteries from the Japanese resupply ship. The six lithium-ion batteries, replacing 12 older nickel-hydrogen batteries, will be installed on the space station’s Port 4 truss structure power channels during the two spacewalks on Sept 20 and 26.

Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst will participate in both spacewalks. Commander Drew Feustel will join him on the first spacewalk. Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold will go out on the second spacewalk. Gerst and Feustel began inspecting and resizing their U.S. spacesuits this morning. Feustel then moved on checking spacesuit gloves and helmets before finally collecting spacewalk tools.

On-Orbit Status Report

ExPRESS Rack (ER) 5 Payload Isolation: On August 23rd, the ER5 Subsystem Valve was removed and replaced (R&R’d) after a Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) leak had been isolated to ER5. Earlier today, the crew disconnected the supply and return lines to the Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL) and Plant Habitat facilities after JAXA specialists determined a leak is still present. Today’s activities, which isolated both payload facilities from the ER’s MTL interface, will assist experts in determining the source of the JEM MTL slow leak.

Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) Operations for the German Space Agency (DLR) Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS): Last night the JEMAL Slide Table was extended to the exterior of the ISS and the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) were used to remove DESIS from the Slide Table and install it on the Multiple User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES) external facility. Today the Slide Table was brought back into the JEM and the Payload Mounting Assembly (PMA) hardware removed from it. The DESIS investigation is expected to verify and enhance commercial space-based hyperspectral (from the visual to near infrared spectrum) imaging capabilities for Earth remote sensing. Requested images are transferred to a hosted cloud that provides user access. DESIS has a number of commercial and humanitarian applications.

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME): The crew opened the Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) and replaced two ACME controllers. The ACME experiment series being performed in the CIR includes five independent studies of gaseous flames. The primary goals of ACME are to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollutant production in routine fuel combustion activities on Earth. Its secondary goal is to improve spacecraft fire prevention through innovative research focused on materials flammability.

Rodent Research-7 (RR-7): Today the crew restocked the rodent habitats. They also stowed fecal pellets and food bar/Habitat swabs in a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The RR-7 investigation examines how the space environment affects the community of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of mice (also known as the microbiota). It also looks at microgravity’s effects on multiple physiological systems known to be affected by the microbiota, including the gastrointestinal, immune, metabolic, circadian, and sleep systems. These studies should help explain mechanisms underlying interactions between these systems and the role of the microbiota in these interactions.

Tropical Cyclone: The crew configured the camera settings in the Cupola to support the capture of untended images of Tropical Cyclone Lane. The Tropical Cyclone investigation is normally used to capture images of tropical cyclones and hurricanes that are rated at Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson scale. A pseudo-stereoscopic method is used to determine the altitudes of the cloud tops near the center (eye) of a cyclone by precisely tracking the apparent positions of cloud features with respect to the Earth and how those positions change over time as an observer (the ISS in this case) passes over the storm. The photographic images will be used to demonstrate that pseudo-spectroscopy can be used to measure the cloud altitudes to sufficient precision so that, when combined with other remote-sensing data, an accurate determination of the intensity of hurricane or cyclone can be made.

Grip: The crew completed the second of three Grip operations in the seated position today. ESA’s Grip investigation tests how the nervous system takes into account the forces due to gravity and inertia when manipulating objects. Results from this investigation may provide insight into potential hazards for astronauts as they manipulate objects in different gravitational environments, support design and control of haptic interfaces to be used in challenging environments such as space, and provide information about motor control that will be useful for the evaluation and rehabilitation of impaired upper limb control in patients with neurological diseases.

US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize: Today the crew resized EMU 3003 and 3004 in preparation for the upcoming EVA. Each EMU contains exchangeable components allowing each astronaut to adjust EMU fit to their individual preference. EMU 3003 was resized for Drew Feustel and EMU 3004 was resized for Alexander Gerst.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: Today the crew gathered and configured various tools and tethers needed for the upcoming H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-7 Battery R&R EVAs in September. They also verified that the EMU Glove heaters were functional and that the EMU TV Camera as receiving power from the Rechargeable EVA Battery Assemblies (REBAs). The first EVA in the pair is scheduled for 20 September while the second planned EVA is scheduled on September 26th.

Eye Exams: Today the crew completed the first of four days of routine eye exams using a Fundoscope. Eye exams are performed regularly onboard in order to monitor crewmembers eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that is affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.

Completed Task List Activities:
None

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
LAB MCA Zero Calibration

Two-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 08/29:

Payloads
MSRR Master Controller R&R
BEST 4th experiment session
Payload Control Box installation in Ryutai Rack laptop
Team Task Switching (TTS) survey
SpaceTex2 & Metaspace session
Grip supine session
BCAT camera alignment and focus

Systems
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
Fundoscope Eye Exams
EMU Swap
HTV-7 Prep: JEM Stowage Consolidation
HTV-7 Prep: PROX System Checkout
N3 MCA Activation Part 3 (Ground)

Thursday, 08/30:

Payloads
Atomization syringe replacement
GRASP seated configuration
PCG 13 microscope operations
Sextant Navigation session 5

Systems
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
Fundoscope Eye Exams
Eye Ultrasound Imaging
EVA Tool Config
HTV-7 Prep: PROX System Checkout

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Combustion Integrated Rack Doors Open
JEM Airlock Press
SM Internal Wireless Instrumentation System (IWIS) Remote Sensing Unit (RSU) s/n 1027 power cycle
Regeneration of Micropurification Unit (БМП) cartridge Ф2 (start)
Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Open
GRIP science performance in seated position
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Install
PROFILAKTIKA-2. Preparation for the experiment.
ACME Controller Replace 2
JEM Airlock Leak Check
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
PROFILAKTIKA-2. Operator Assistance in Preparation for the Experiment
DESIS Slide Table Remove
Battery Charge Deactivation for MetabolicSpace
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tools Gather
PROFILAKTIKA-2. БД-2 Treadmill Experiment Ops (Individual strategy test)
Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Close
PROFILAKTIKA-2. Closeout Ops
Passive Capture Mechanism Installation to JEM Airlock (AL) Slide Table
Combustion Integrated Rack Doors Close
Repairs and Installation of Overlay Panels in SM, Preparation.
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
Rodent Research Lab Camcorder Video Setup
Rodent Research 7 Habitat Restock
PROFILAKTIKA-2. Hygiene Procedures
Dismantling of the old and installation of a new Mass Measurement complex from KMA-01. Test Activation.
Progress 439 (DC1) Cargo Transfers and IMS Ops
Tropical Cyclone Untended Operations
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Installation
Delta file prep
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Powered Hardware Checkout
Rodent Research MELFI Insert
Water Refill Kit Habitat H2O Fill
PLETHYSMOGRAPH Functional Check
Filling (separation) of ЕДВ (КОВ) for Elektron-VM or ЕДВ-СВ
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup
PAO Preparation
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
On Board Training (OBT) ROBoT T&C Self Study
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
СОЖ maintenance
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tools Gather
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow
Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Oxygen Transfer to Low Pressure O2 Tank
On Board Training (OBT) ROBoT T&C Self Study
Rodent Research 7 Habitat Restock
Scheduled monthly maintenance of Central Post Laptop.
Tropical Cyclone Hardware Closeout
Nikon still camera sync with station time
MSRR Payload Overview
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Fundoscope Setup
Rodent Research MELFI Insert
Dust collectors ПC1, ПС2 filter cleaning by vacuum cleaner in FGB (panels 203, 403)
MSRR Hardware Gather
Fundoscope Prep
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow
Rodent Research Access Unit Clean
Eye Exam – Fundoscope
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
Fundoscope Tear Down and Stow
Regeneration of Micropurification Unit (БМП) Ф2 Absorber Cartridge (end)